USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1919 > Part 4
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50
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
said month, at the time hereinbelow specified, then and there to act on the following articles of this Warrant:
Precinct 1 at 5.45 A. M. Precinct 2 at 6 A. M.
ARTICLE 1. To bring in their votes to the election officers for the following State and County Officers, to wit: Governor of this Commonwealth; Lieutenant Governor of this Common- wealth; Secretary of this Commonwealth; Treasurer and Re- ceiver-General for this Commonwealth; Auditor of the Common- wealth; Attorney-General for this Commonwealth; Councillor for the Sixth Councillor District; Senator for the Sixth Sena- torial District; Representative in General Court for the Twenty- seventh Middlesex District; County Commissioner for Middle- sex County ; Associate County Commissioners; District Attorney for Middlesex County.
Also for the purpose of bringing in their votes "Yes" or "No" on the following questions:
Question 1. To see if the Town will vote to accept the re- arrangement of the Constitution of the Commonwealth sub- mitted by the Constitutional Convention.
Question 2. To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 311 of the General Acts of 1919, entitled "An Act relative to the establishment and maintenance of con- tinuation schools and courses of instruction for employed minors."
Question 3. To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Chapter 116, General Acts of 1919, entitled, "An Act to authorize savings banks and institutions for savings, and trust companies having savings departments, to place de- posits on interest monthly." (Referendum.)
All the above to be voted for on one ballot. The polls will be open immediately after the reading of the Warrant and will be kept open until five o'clock in the afternoon.
Polls open as follows: Precinct 1 open at 5.45 A. M., close at 5 P. M .; Precinct 2 open at 6 A. M., close at 5 p. m.
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Selectmen, on or before said day and hour of meeting.
Given under our hands, at said Arlington, this twentieth day
51
TOWN RECORDS
of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.
THOMAS J. DONNELLY, HORATIO A. PHINNEY, OLVIN H. LUFKIN, Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
CONSTABLE'S RETURN
Arlington, November 4, 1919.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
By virtue of this Warrant I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified to vote in elec- tions and primaries, to meet at the time and place, and for the purposes herein named, by causing a printed attested copy of the same to be left at every dwelling house in the Town, and also by posting an attested copy of said Warrant at the doors of the Town Hall in said Arlington, seven days at least before said date of meeting.
Notice of the time, place and object of said meeting was published in the Arlington Advocate and the Arlington Weekly News.
(Signed) WILLIAM T. CANNIFF, Constable of Arlington.
In pursuance of the foregoing Warrant the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified as the law directs, to vote in elec- tions and Town affairs: met at the polling places designated for the two precincts in said Arlington, on Tuesday the fourth day of November, 1919, at six o'clock in the forenoon.
The polling places designated were as follows: Precinct 1, Robbins Memorial Town Hall; Precinct 2, Crosby School House, Winter Street.
The following Election Officers served, by appointment by the Selectmen, at the precinct voting places as follows:
Precinct 1. George H. Pierce, Warden; George M. Richardson Clerk; Tellers, Frank Y. Wellington, George C. Tewksbury
52
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
James G. Moir, Frank C. Kenney, David T. Dale, Joseph W. Moore, Arthur J. Hendrick, Chester E. Hoyt, Herbert L. Converse, George F. McCaffery, William P. Slattery, William D. Grannan, George A. Bunton, Richard M. Healy, George J. White, Clarence Hill and William E. Robinson.
Precinct 2. Harry S. Smith, Warden; George H. Lowe, Clerk; Tellers, John B. Meany, Elmer Buckley, John W. Dacey, William H. Nolan, Clayton Hilliard, Herbert W. Rideout, Carroll B. Moore, John J. Roach, Charles J. Brookings, Thomas H. Pat- terson, Thomas S. Lawrence and John L. Pichette.
The Town Clerk, appointed by the Selectmen, had general supervision of the election and visited each polling place at frequent intervals during the day.
The precinct officers, in each precinct, made their returns to the Town Clerk, who forthwith canvassed the same and announced the result of the balloting as follows: Ballots cast: Precinct 1, 2171; Precinct 2, 904. Total, 3075.
GOVERNOR
Precinct 1
Precinct 2 650
Total
Calvin Coolidge
1585
2235
Charles B. Ernst
5
1
6
William A. King
9
6
15
Richard H. Long
552
234
786
Ingvar Paulsen
3
6
9
Blanks
17
7
24
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Charles J. Brand.
21
8
29
Channing H. Cox.
1526
631
2157
H. Edward Gordon .
9
5
14
John F. J. Herbert
572
232
804
Patrick Mulligan
7
10
17
Blanks
36
18
54
Total votes cast . . 2171
904
3075
.
53
TOWN RECORDS
SECRETARY
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Harry W. Bowman
33
14
47
James Hayes.
12
14
26
Albert P. Langtry
1524
642
2166
Charles H. McGlue . .
495
194
689
Herbert H. Thompson. .
19
11
30
Blanks .
88
29
117
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
TREASURER
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Fred J. Burrell
1164
559
1723
David Craig.
8
15
23
Charles D. Fletcher
28
14
42
Louis Marcus.
15
7
22
Chandler M. Wood .
868
284
1152
Blanks .
88
25
113
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
AUDITOR
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Arthur J. B. Cartier
539
213
752
Alonzo B. Cook.
1460
618
2078
Oscar Kinsalas.
8
9
17
Walter P. J. Skahan
18
9
27
Henry J. D. Small
17
7
24
Blanks
129
48
177
_
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
54
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
J. Weston Allen
1498
625
2123
Morris I. Becker
9
9
18
Joseph A. Conry .
524
205
729
Conrad W. Crooker
35
16
51
William R. Henry
20
8
28
Blanks .
85
41
126
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
COUNCILLOR
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
James G. Harris.
1639
684
2323
Blanks
532
220
752
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
SENATOR Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Charles P. Hare.
86
33
119
Edwin T. McKnight
1343
586
1929
Whitfield L. Tuck
591
227
818
Blanks.
151
58
209
Total votes cast
2171
904
3075
REPRESENTATIVE
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
John J. Dale.
605
237
842
Charles C. Warren
1465
618
2083
Blanks
10
49
150
Total votes cast. . .
2171
904
3075
COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Erson B. Barlow
1493
607
2100
Charles J. Barton
516
216
732
Blanks
162
81
243
Total votes cast. . .
2171
904
3075
55
TOWN RECORDS
ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONERS
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
Frederic P. Barnes
1587
645
2232
H. Harding Hale.
1097
4.55
1552
Blanks .
1658
708
2366
Total votes cast. .
3342
1808
6150
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
William F. Russell
585
235
820
Nathan A. Tufts .
1500
620
2120
Blanks. .
86
49
135
Total votes cast . . 2171
904
3075
The vote on the questions submitted to the voters on the ballot was as follows:
On the question "Shall the re-arrangement of the Consti- tution of the Commonwealth, submitted by the Constitutional Convention, be approved and ratified?" the following result was announced :
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
"Yes"
1333
550
1883
"No"
248
93
341
Blanks
590
261
851
Totals
2171
904
3075
On the question "Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year nineteen hundred and nineteen entitled, 'An Act relative to the establishment and maintenance of continuation schools and courses of instruction for employed minors,' be accepted?"
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
"Yes"
1475
630
2105
"No"
184
61
245
Blanks
512
213
725
Totals.
2171
904
3075
56
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
On the question, "Shall Chapter 116, General Acts of 1919, approved by the General Court, without division, which pro- vides that deposits in savings banks and savings departments of trust companies may be placed on interest once a month and not oftener; that dividends on such deposits may be declared semi-annually and not oftener, and that interest shall not be paid on any such deposits withdrawn between dividend days be approved.
Precinct 1
Precinct 2
Total
"Yes"
1101
460
1561
"No"
626
255
881
Blanks
447
186
633
Totals
2171
904
3075
The ballots cast in the two precincts were returned to the Town Clerk in sealed packages.
The voting lists at the entrance of the polling places and at the ballot boxes, together with the tally sheets and copy of Precinct Record of Election, all properly sealed as required by law, were also returned to the Town Clerk.
Arlington, November 11, 1919.
The returns of election were filed out on the blanks furnished for the purpose by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, signed by the Selectmen and Town Clerk, and filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Certificates of Election as Representative from the 27th Middlesex District were made out and delivered to Charles C. Warren by Thomas O. D. Urquhart, Constable. A true record of the election. Attest:
THOMAS J. ROBINSON,
Town Clerk.
57
TOWN RECORDS
TOWN WARRANT
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. MIDDLESEX, SS.
To any Constable of the Town of Arlington,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified as the Constitution requires, to vote in elections and Town affairs, to assemble in the Town Hall in said Town, Thursday, the eleventh day of December, 1919, at 7.30 o'clock, then and there to act on the following article's, viz.
ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meet- ing.
ART. 2. To hear and act on the reports of committees here- tofore appointed.
ART. 3. To see if the Town will make an additional appro- priation for school purposes, or take any action thereon.
ART. 4. To see if the Town will authorize the School Com- mittee to purchase portable school buildings, make an appro- priation therefor, or take any action thereon.
ART. 5. To see if the Town will make an appropriation for Americanization work in the Town of Arlington, said appro- priation to be expended under the direction of the School Com- mittee, or take any action thereon.
ART. 6. To see if the Town will authorize the Town Treas- urer, under the direction of the Selectmen, to borrow money for any necessary purpose, in anticipation of the revenue for the year 1920, the same to be repaid directly from the proceeds of said revenue.
And you will notify and warn the legal voters of the Town of Arlington to meet at the time and place herein specified, by leaving at every dwelling house in the Town a printed copy of this Warrant, and also by posting a copy of the same at the doors of the Town Hall, and in five or more conspicuous public places in the Town, seven days at least prior to the time of said meeting.
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this Warrant, with
58
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, on or before said day and hour of meeting.
Given under our hands, at said Arlington, this seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.
THOMAS J. DONNELLY, HORATIO A. PHINNEY, OLVIN H. LUFKIN, Selectnien of the Town of Arlington.
CONSTABLE'S RETURN
Arlington, December 8, 1919.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
By virtue of this Warrant, I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified to vote in elec- tion sand Town affairs, to meet at the time and place and for the purposes therein named, by causing a printed attested copy of the same to be left at every dwelling house in the Town, and also by posting an attested copy at the doors of the Town Hall, in said Arlington, seven days at least before said day of meeting. Notice of the time, place and object of said meeting was pub- lished in the Arlington Advocate and the Arlington Weekly News.
(Signed) WILLIAM T. CANNIFF, Constable of Arlington.
In pursuance of the foregoing Warrant, the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, met in the Town Hall in said Arlington, on Thursday, the eleventh day of December, 1919. and were called to order at thirty minutes after seven o'clock in the evening by the Town Clerk, who read the Warrant calling the meeting and the return thereon of the Constable who served the same upon the in- habitants.
ARTICLE 1 taken up. (Choice of Moderator.)
Jacob Bitzer was unanimously elected Moderator and was sworn to the faithful performance of his duties.
59
TOWN RECORDS
ART. 2 taken up. (Reports of Committees.)
John A. Bishop, Chairman of the School Committee, pre- sented the report of that Committee on matters referred to the Committee at a previous Town Meeting, as follows: " To the Citizens of Arlington:
The School Committee, appointed as a special committee by a vote of the Town to make a study of the requirements for ad- ditional school accommodations, begs to submit the following report :
In considering this problem the Committee was guided by the conviction that the citizens desired to have presented for their consideration a plan, which, when fully developed, would pro- vide for a complete system.
Because of the unsettled conditions occasioned by the war, the practical cessation of building in the Town and the dis- turbed transportation problems, the committee considered it wise to defer its report and so reported to the Town at the annual meeting in March, 1919.
Now that conditions are approaching normal the Committee believes that comprehensive and definite recommendations. should be submitted to the citizens to the end that steps may be taken to provide for the proper housing of school children. With that object in view a survey was made of all the school buildings in the Town to ascertain the seating capacity of each and the distribution of the pupils in the class rooms: each school district was visited, careful note being made of the build- ing development and location of the school population, and a census was taken of all school children who will be eligible to enter school in the next two years, in order to determine as far as possible where congestion will exist in the near future.
A committee appointed June 29, 1916, reported that with the exception of one room in the Russell School, the available accommodations were then being used to their maximum. It was estimated by that Committee that there would be a mini- mum average increase of two hundred pupils per year for a. period covering the next five years. The average membership for the first three months of this school year indicates that. this rate of increase will be exceeded during the next few years. Each year the crowded conditions reported in 1916 have become
60
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
more serious and in some buildings have reached that stage where immediate relief is imperative. To meet the problem during the past three years the School Committee was obliged to introduce the temporary expedient of alternating sessions or what is termed the platoon system.
The Committee recognizes this system as only a temporary one and does not recommend its extensions or continuance any longer than is necessary. Also, rooms not suited for the pur- pose were converted into class rooms while at the present time the assembly halls in the Locke and Junior High Schools are being so used.
With the exception of the High School and Russell School all the buildings are crowded to a point beyond their capacity. All the rooms in the High School are being used and there are two class rooms vacant on the third floor of the Russell School.
To provide immediate relief in the districts where conditions are most acute, portable school buildings should be purchased and used until permanent buildings are erected. The Com- mittee, in arriving at its conclusions, followed the idea that ultimately our Junior High School system will consist of three buildings, one in the Center and one in each end of the Town, and has also considered very carefully the geographical location of the grade school buildings so that they will be placed to best serve the people of the Town. The following recommenda- tions are respectfully submitted for the consideration of the citizens:
1st. That a Committee be appointed to procure plans and estimates for a twelve-room building, eight rooms to be fur- nished for immediate use, on Town land at the corner of Forest and Summer Streets, said Committee to report at the Town Meeting to be held in March 1920.
2d. That the same or a different Committee be appointed to procure plans and estimates for a twelve-room building to be used for Junior High School purposes, eight rooms to be fur- nished for immediate use on Town land adjacent to Fessenden Road, said Committee to report at the Town Meeting to be held in March 1920.
3d. That the same or a different Committee be appointed to procure plans and est!mates for an addition of eight rooms
61
TOWN RECORDS
to the present Crosby School Building, said Committee to report at the Town Meeting to be held in March, 1920.
4th. That the same or a different committee be appointed to acquire land for school purposes in the Parmenter School District, said Committee to report at the Town Meeting to be held in March, 1920.
(Signed) JOHN A. BISHOP,
JOHN R. FOSTER, OTHILIE J. LAWSON,
VITTORIA E. DALLIN, CHARLES C. WARREN,
JACOB R. ESTABROOK, FRED L. DAWSON.
The report was received and ordered filed, to be considered at a future town meeting.
Henry W. Hayes presented the following report of the Plan- ning Board on the proposed Roll of Honor to the young men of the Town who served the Nation in the war with Germany:
At the last annual Town Meeting it was voted to empower the Planning Board with authority to arrange for the erection of a Roll of Honor, to be paid for by popular subscription. As a part of the vote the design and location were also substantially deter- mined.
It was impossible to proceed with such a permanent work until an accurate record of names could be obtained, and mean- while sufficient differences of opinion developed. both as to the form and location, so that it seemed best to postpone definite ac- tion. Having no authority to make any radical change, a departure from the original scheme would call for further con- sideration by the Town.
The formation of a local post of the American Legion with the probability of permanent quarters for their meeting's, has been accomplished since the action of the Town and would seem to have quite a bearing on the subject. It is possible that no more appropriate place might be chosen for establishing a Roll of Honor than in connection with the home of the Legion. As this would be a matter for future determination, it is the judg- ment of your Board that a memorial for the soldiers who died in the service be at this time erected in the vestibule of the Town Hall, the same to be paid for out of the tax levy.
62
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
While your Board realizes that a temporary tablet would have met with the wishes of those who considered the delay unfortunate, the expressed desire of the Town for a permanent record in bronze and the successful raising of the funds by popular subscriptions would seem to require a sufficient time for consideration of the conditions in order that such a Roll of Honor would be a source of gratification to those whose names it bears and remain a credit to the Town in the years to come.
In view of the above your Board requests that this report be received as a report of progress and feels that it would be justi- fied in presenting these considerations at the Annual Town Meeting next March with a possibility of recommending a re- consideration of the former vote or such other action as may be for the best interests of the Town.
The report was accepted as progressive.
Frank A. O'Brien, Chairman of the Finance Committee, made the following motion and it was so
Voted: That the various articles in the Warrant be now taken up and that the recommendations of the Finance Committee under the articles in their report be considered as now before the meeting, to be voted upon without further motion, sepa- rately, and in the order in which they appear in said report.
Article 2 was then laid on the table.
Article 3 taken up. (Additional appropriation for schools.)
Voted: That the sum of $10,500 be appropriated for school purposes, said sum to be taken from the available funds now in the Treasury and to be expended under the direction of the School Committee.
ยท Article 4 taken up. (Portable Building for School Purposes.)
Voted: That the School Committee be and hereby are au- thorized and empowered to purchase one one-room portable building, suitable for school purposes, at a cost not to exceed $3,000 and that the sum of $3,000 is hereby appropriated for the purchase of said building, said sum to be taken from avail- able funds now in the treasury and to be expended under the direction of the School Committee.
Article 5 taken up. (Americanization Work in the Schools.)
Voted: That it is the sense of this meeting that the action of the School Committee in providing for Americanization work.
63
TOWN RECORDS
in the Town be approved and that this work be continued under their direction.
Article 6 taken up. (Treasurer to Borrow Money.)
Voted: That the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1920, and to issue a note or notes therefor payable within one year. Any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year.
Article 2 was taken from the table and no other committees desiring; to report all business under this article was declared disposed of.
All business calling the meeting having been transacted at ten minutes after eight o'clock it was voted that the meeting be dissolved.
Meeting dissolved at 8.10 P. M.
Number of voters attending the meeting was 154. A true record. Attest:
THOMAS J. ROBINSON, Town Clerk.
1
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
The Board of Selectmen herewith submit a summary of the work of the various departments of the Town coming under their direction.
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD FOR 1919
At the annual March meeting of 1919 Mr. Olvin H. Lufkin was elected a member of the Board for the term of three years and was sworn to the faithful performance of his duties at the first meeting of the Board Tuesday March 4, 1919. The Board organized with Thomas J. Donnelly Chairman, and Thomas J. Robinson, Clerk.
STANDING COMMITTEES
Thomas J. Donnelly, Police, Public Lands and Outside Poor.
Horatio A. Phinney, Town Houses, Public Buildings and Incidental Accountant.
Olvin H. Lufkin, Fire Department, State and Military Aid and Soldiers Relief.
AS OVERSEERS OF THE POOR
Thomas J. Donnelly, Chairman.
Thomas J. Robinson, Agent.
An annual report of the Board is required by a law enacted many years ago when the Board of Selectmen had the direction and control of practically all the activities of the Town. Owing to the growth of the Town and the creation of other Boards and offices to supervise certain departments the report of this. Board will be confined to a general statement of the financial conditions of the Town and such suggestions and recommenda- tions as appear necessary for the present and future interests of
64
65
SELECTMEN'S REPORT
the Town. Detailed reports from all departments of the Town will be found in the reports of those departments, submitted to this Board and made a part of this report. The part year has been a trying one for all departments of the Town to carry on the necessary work on very slightly increased appropriations and in some cases with no increase whatever. With the large increase in the cost of labor and material the various depart- ments of the Town were affected in the same or greater pro- portion as were the individuals or private corporations. By reason of these conditions many things that should have been done were, of necessity, left undone, and improvements that were needed were not undertaken. Overdrafts in some of the Departments were for the foregoing reasons unavoidable, but these overdrafts in the aggregate did not exceed the amount of the Reserve Fund, which fact indicates a most commendable spirit on the part of the various Boards and Officials to co- operate with the Finance Committee and the citizens of the Town in an endeavor not to place too heavy a burden on the tax payers.
To continue, however, to gauge our appropriations on the basis of a fixed, or an approximately fixed tax rate is not good business judgment nor does it tend to efficiency in the work of the Town. The tax rate must be determined by the needed appropriation instead of by the methods practised for the past few years of cutting necessary appropriations to meet an estab- lished or fixed tax rate. The one essential question for the Finance Committee and the Town to determine is not what the tax rate will be, but whether the estimates of appropriations asked for by the various departments are needed to properly and efficiently conduct the business of the Town.
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